House Oversight Committee Pursuing New Contempt Charge Against Eric Holder

The Operation Fast and Furious document battle between the House Oversight Committee and outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder is ongoing. Recently a federal judge ordered the Department of Justice to turn over a "Vaughn Index" or list of documents being protected under President Obama's assertion of executive privilege by October 22 after a lengthy legal battle with Judicial Watch. Meanwhile despite being issued a subpoena, Holder is still refusing to turn over requested documents about the lethal operation and Congress is now pursuing additional contempt charges against him.

As a reminder, Holder was voted in civil and criminal contempt by House Democrats and Republicans back in June 2012 for failing to comply with the Oversight Committee investigation into the gunrunning program. Holder requested contempt charges be dismissed, arguing the courts have no business getting involved in a dispute between the executive and legislative branches of government. That request was denied by U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson last year.

Holder submitted his resignation to President Obama last week but will stay in his position until a new Attorney General is confirmed.